Today's Best NBA Reporting And Analysis: 5/6/19
Playoff Series Updates:
- DEN-POR:
From Harrison Wind, BSN Denver: https://bsndenver.com/six-years-before-will-barton-saved-the-nuggets-season-he-was-playing-5-on-5-at-a-portland-rec-center-with-serious-doubts-about-his-nba-future/
From Zach Mikash, Denver Stiffs: https://www.denverstiffs.com/2019/5/5/18530552/recap-denver-nuggets-fight-and-survive-in-game-4-against-portland-trail-blazers-win-116-112
From Spencer Mestel, NY Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/05/sports/enes-kanter-ramadan-fasting.html
From Dave Deckard, Blazer's Edge: https://www.blazersedge.com/2019/5/5/18530554/blazers-nuggets-game-4-recap-jokic-lillard-mccollum-post-game-analysis
From Ohm Youngmisuk, ESPN: http://www.espn.co.uk/nba/story/_/id/26681647/murray-jokic-key-denver-gutsy-game-4-win
From Sekou Smith, NBA.com: https://www.nba.com/article/2019/05/06/no-need-malone-sell-nuggets-time-now
From Royce Young, ESPN: http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/26681558/how-nuggets-surviving-damian-lillard
From Scott Polacek, Bleacher Report: https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2834825-jamal-murray-drops-34-as-nuggets-beat-damian-lillard-blazers-to-tie-series-at-2
From Kerry Eggers, Portland Tribune: https://pamplinmedia.com/pt/12-sports/427493-333740-nuggets-get-their-must-win
-TOR-PHI:
From Scott Rafferty/Kyle Irving, NBA.com: https://ca.nba.com/news/nba-playoffs-2019-recap-game-4-toronto-raptors-philadelphia-76ers/kg95wjv1wdba1q0czbwosd1mf
From Noah Levick, NBC Sports: https://www.nbcsports.com/philadelphia/76ers/its-sixers-vs-kawhi-leonard-and-yes-hes-definitely-breaking-sweat
From John Gaudes, RaptorsHQ: https://www.raptorshq.com/2019/5/5/18530501/2019-nba-playoffs-toronto-raptors-philadelphia-76ers-game-4-final-score-recap
From David Murphy, philly.com: https://www.philly.com/sixers/jimmy-butler-sixers-76ers-raptors-nba-playoffs-analysis-20190506.html
From Arden Zwelling, sportsnet.ca: https://www.sportsnet.ca/basketball/nba/inside-raptors-crucial-fourth-quarter-game-4/
From John Schuhmann, NBA.com: https://www.nba.com/article/2019/05/05/raptors-go-big-earn-crucial-victory-sixers
From Kevin Arnovitz, ESPN: http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/26680591/kawhi-rare-air-39-points-14-boards-win
From Chris Herring, FiveThiryEight: https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/kawhi-leonard-is-the-terminator/
- MIL-BOS:
From Marc D'Amico, celtics.com: https://www.nba.com/celtics/news/sidebar/prac-050419-celts-seek-antidote-to-milwaukees-stingy-interior-defense
From Andrew Hughes, Hardwood Houdini: https://hardwoodhoudini.com/2019/05/06/impact-marcus-smart-return-boston-celtics/
- Marcus Smart's Bond With Coach Larranaga (from John Karalis, Mass Live):
- GSW-HOU:
From Will Gottlieb, Bleacher Report: https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2834829-did-the-houston-rockets-find-the-secret-to-shutting-down-steph-curry
From Marc J. Spears, The Undefeated: https://theundefeated.com/features/houston-rockets-pj-tucker-im-living-my-dream-right-now-guarding-kevin-durant/
From Marcus Thompson II, The Athletic: https://theathletic.com/962535/2019/05/05/thompson-kevin-durant-is-peaking-and-he-has-the-warriors-in-a-good-spot-despite-their-game-3-loss
From Hunter Atkins, Houston Chronicle: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/sports/texas-sports-nation/rockets/article/How-James-Harden-Rockets-found-their-drive-in-13821128.php
From Antony Slater, The Athletic: https://theathletic.com/962228/2019/05/05/five-observations-from-the-warriors-126-121-game-3-overtime-loss-to-the-rockets/
From Kelly Scaletta, The Basketball Writers: https://bballwriters.com/opinion/despite-win-houston-rockets-are-at-historys-mercy/
From Tim Kawakami, The Athletic: https://theathletic.com/962470/2019/05/05/kawakami-obviously-i-want-to-shoot-the-ball-better-thats-gonna-happen-steph-curry-deals-with-a-rough-game-3 and https://theathletic.com/962911/2019/05/05/kawakami-steve-kerrs-micro-review-of-game-3-tells-us-everything-about-the-warriors-calm-big-picture-mindset/
From Dan Woike, LATimes: https://www.latimes.com/sports/nba/la-sp-warriors-rockets-chris-paul-20190505-story.html
From DJ Foster, The Ringer: https://www.theringer.com/nba/2019/5/6/18530625/draymond-green-golden-state-warriors-nba-playoffs
From Danny Leroux, The Athletic: https://theathletic.com/962608/2019/05/05/warriors-rockets-game-3-report-card-grading-another-prolific-durant-performance-and-currys-awful-night
- The Adjustments That Could Change Each Series (from Kevin O'Connor, The Ringer):
Read it here: https://www.theringer.com/nba/2019/5/6/18530803/nba-playoffs-adjustments-second-round
- Superstar Role Players Are Swinging The Playoffs (from Ben Cohen, Wall Street Journal):
Read it here: https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-superstar-role-players-are-swinging-the-nba-playoffs-11557153572
- LAL: Film Room: How Lue Would Use Spread Pick-And-Roll (from Pete Zayas, Silver Screen And Roll):
Read and watch it here: https://www.silverscreenandroll.com/2019/5/6/18530171/laker-film-room-how-ty-lue-spread-pick-and-rolls-lakers-video-youtube-subscribe-lebron-james
- MIN: The People & Process That Brought Rosas To The Wolves (from Jon Krawcynski, The Athletic):
Read it here: https://theathletic.com/963229/2019/05/06/inside-the-search-people-process-that-brought-gersson-rosas-to-timberwolves/
- Scouting 2019 Draft Lottery Prospects: Strengths, Comps, Intel (from Jonathan Givony/Mike Schmitz, ESPN):
Read it here: http://www.espn.com/nba/insider/story/_/id/26669678/scouting-nba-draft-lottery-prospects-strengths-comps-intel
From Trevor Magnotti, The Step Back: https://fansided.com/2019/05/06/step-back-2019-nba-draft-big-board-pre-combine-edition/
- Theo Pinson Named Ridiculous Upside's G-League ROY (from Dakota Schmidt):